Inherited a plated Luger - what do I have?

DavidJayUden · 02-01-2012, 08:13 AM

BBD:
If you try to sell it and get no buyers, consider Plan B.
The markings seem pretty well unmolested. Another avenue might be to have the gun metal stripped of chrome at the local plating shop, then do a very minimum of metal prep, followed by a trip to the local gun shop for a salt blue job. If you disassemble it the chrome removal would not be too bad, and I'm guessing $50-$75 to blue it if all they have to do is run the parts thru. The correct amount of metal prep work will yield a close-to-original finish.
This would all require a bit of time and investment on you part, but you would end up with a much more marketable gun. It will always be re-finished and there will be no hiding that fact, but at least not chromed.
Since this is a fairly rare gun, if properly re-finished I'm guessing it would bring something north of $1000. It would be an interesting shooter to be sure.
Food for thought.
dju

02-01-2012, 08:13 AM	#7
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	BBD: If you try to sell it and get no buyers, consider Plan B. The markings seem pretty well unmolested. Another avenue might be to have the gun metal stripped of chrome at the local plating shop, then do a very minimum of metal prep, followed by a trip to the local gun shop for a salt blue job. If you disassemble it the chrome removal would not be too bad, and I'm guessing $50-$75 to blue it if all they have to do is run the parts thru. The correct amount of metal prep work will yield a close-to-original finish. This would all require a bit of time and investment on you part, but you would end up with a much more marketable gun. It will always be re-finished and there will be no hiding that fact, but at least not chromed. Since this is a fairly rare gun, if properly re-finished I'm guessing it would bring something north of $1000. It would be an interesting shooter to be sure. Food for thought. dju